Implementation of the New Agreement to Replace NAFTA

July 1st, 2020 will be the official implementation date of the Canada-US-Mexico free trade agreement, also known as CUSMA. This agreement goes by the acronym USMCA in the US.
NAFTA certificates of origin will no longer be valid when CUSMA /USMCA comes into effect.

CUSMA / USMCA Blanket Certifications Are Required

Note that currently there is no scheduled phasing out period for the NAFTA blanket certificates – they will cease to be valid upon implementation of the agreement on July 1st, and a CUSMA /USMCA certification will be required in order to take advantage of duty-free treatment.
Importers into Canada currently using NAFTA certificates of origin to claim beneficial tariff rates should work with their suppliers to obtain CUSMA / USMCA certifications to replace their current NAFTA certificates of origin.
CUSMA /USMCA certifications can take many different forms. The minimal data elements that the certificate must contain are outlined under Annex 5A of the agreement.

How Our Team Can Help You

Our team at Mantoria can assist by reviewing your certificates, comment on compliance and provide guidance where requested. These consultations need to be agreed on with you prior to our review.
Please send your new blanket certificates to our Customs and Compliance Team as soon as possible.
You can also see how your imports will be impacted by consulting the Tariff Schedule of Canada.
For complete agreement details, click on CUSMA, Government of Canada Page.
For any additional questions related to CUSMA / USMCA, please contact our team of customs professionals, we will be glad to assist.